On July 10th the Georgia Department of Agriculture issued an administrative order for disciplinary action against Pickens Animal Rescue Ranch, seeking to revoke their license saying members of the board knowingly took animals who had owners and adopted them out illegally. The longtime animal rescue group, commonly called PAR say the allegations are false and were made by a former disgruntled employee, and they intend to “vigorously defend” the organization and its mission.

Pickens Animal Rescue is around two decades old and preceded the county shelter for many years as the only rescue group here.